1/23-24/16 #1 All Time KNYC Snowfall-please add Obs, Accums, Pics

[nycwinter]

this is clearly number one.. heavy snow for hours and hours.. boxing day a distant second and i mean distant...

[ag3]

For me,

1) Jan. 2016 (Very long duration of heavy snow and wind)

2) Blizzard of 1996

3) Jan. 27, 2011 (Incredible rates plus amazing thunder)

4) PD2 (Long duration)

[Sundog]

For me,

1) Jan. 2016 (Very long duration of heavy snow and wind)

2) Blizzard of 1996

3) Jan. 27, 2011 (Incredible rates plus amazing thunder)

4) PD2 (Long duration)

Good list.

[Morris]

Reading through the entire thread for the first time, I think. I wasn't posting that day because of the Sabbath.

Epic

[dmillz25]

Reading through the entire thread for the first time, I think. I wasn't posting that day because of the Sabbath.

Epic

read it 3 times already. I just read through the January 27,2011 thread that was fun

[nycwinter]

i have read this topic multiple times along with the boxing day blizzard hurricane sandy lol etc etc etc..

[MJO812]

Can we finally put that 1996 blizzard stuff to rest now? We have had like 80 storms bigger then that since then

Agree. Boxing Day was also bigger ( for this area )

[MJO812]

This is #1 for me with Boxing Day #2 and Jan 27 2011 #3

Agree 100 percent

 

There were about several cars stuck on my block during boxing day. The area was a mess.

[ag3]

Agree. Boxing Day was also bigger ( for this area )

 

It was similar. Blizzard of 1996 was measured the old way, in depth. We went over this a million times. If it were measured with the clear the board every 6 hour method, there would've have been widespread 25"-35" amounts.

 

I was around for all of them and Jan. 2016 and Blizzard of 1996 were very similar except Jan. 2016 had a Queens, NY (Due to 3 hours of LI Sound effect) and NYC boroughs jackpot. Blizzard of 1996 had a NJ and Philly jackpot.

 

It's amazing that LGA reported 28" and JFK 30" during Jan. 2016. One of the largest and most condensed populated areas of the world was able to officially report epic #s and epic snow depths. Once in a lifetime storm for these areas.

[Sundog]

It was similar. Blizzard of 1996 was measured the old way, in depth. We went over this a million times. If it were measured with the clear the board every 6 hour method, there would've have been widespread 25"-35" amounts.

 

I was around for all of them and Jan. 2016 and Blizzard of 1996 were very similar except Jan. 2016 had a Queens, NY (Due to 3 hours of LI Sound effect) and NYC boroughs jackpot. Blizzard of 1996 had a NJ and Philly jackpot.

 

It's amazing that LGA reported 28" and JFK 30" during Jan. 2016. One of the largest and most condensed populated areas of the world was able to officially report epic #s and epic snow depths. Once in a lifetime storm for these areas.

 

LGA and JFK are also notorious for measuring on the low side more often than not. For them to report such large numbers is incredible. 

[ag3]

LGA and JFK are also notorious for measuring on the low side more often than not. For them to report such large numbers is incredible. 

 

This.

The 34" reports from Jackson Heights, Queens were also officially used by Kocin.

Jackpot in a mega populated area. 

 

I measured 32"-36" in many areas around Whitestone, Queens, but went with the official 28" of LGA in my snow totals.

[nycwinter]

Agree. Boxing Day was also bigger ( for this area )

the 1996 storms was bigger for many areas outside of the city than the boxing day song,, though laguardia i think got 24 inches during 1996 many places on long island got more philly got more in 1996 then the boxing day storm...

[uncle W]

the January 2016 blizzard was a great storm...around 22" was on the ground when it ended...only December 1947's storm had a deeper depth for one storm...25"...one inch of existing snow cover...The blizzard of 1888 was measured at 21"...That was probably the depth after the storm...The blizzard of 96 probably had a 20" depth when it ended...2/25/2010 had 21" on the ground after it ended...12/27/2010 had 20"...Other dates with a 20" snow depth in Central Park had a big storm on top of existing snow cover...2/4/1961 had 17" on top of 8"...24" snow depth on 2/4/1961...February 1899 had 16" on top of an estimated 4" snow depth adding up to a 20" depth on the 12th...2/11/1926 had a 20" snow depth after 12" on top of an 8" snow cover...2/11/1994 had a 22" snow depth after a 13" snowfall on top of 9" on the ground...2/17/2003 had a 20" at LGA after the big storm...there was a little snow on the ground before the storm...many recent years with 20" of snow depth...six since 1994...five before that...2/12/2006 had a 27" storm but no snow depth reported until the next day and it was below 20"...I think there was at least 20" on the ground after the storm...

[Brian5671]

Storms with some spots getting 20" or greater used to be rare around the region before the 2000's.

Now it's almost an annual occurrence for locations  around NYC Metro out across Long Island.

Some years like 2013 and 2015 Suffolk was the big winner, and other years closer to NYC.

it was unheard of from roughly 1979-1995

[uncle W]

December 11-12th 1960 had 20" in Newark...February 3-4th 1961 had 20" in Brooklyn...2/9-10/1969 had 22" in JFK...2/11-12/1983 had over 20" at JFK...2/6-7/1978 probably had 20" in eastern sections of NYC...the best two week periods with a combination of persistent cold and at least one big storm 10" or more with other snow events in the period...the greatest such periods since are...

1/21-2/4/1961...

1/2-16/1996...

2/5-19/1979...

1/13-27/2011...

12/11-25/1960...

2/1-15/1978...

1/30-2/13/1994...

2/6-20/1967...

1/16-30/2005...

3/3-17/1960...

12/22-1/5/2000-01

2/2-16/1996...

1/9-23/1978

[JerseyWx]

Agree 100 percent

There were about several cars stuck on my block during boxing day. The area was a mess.

It's true that the 1996 storm has been beaten by others, but I don't think we should just brush it aside. '96 was bigger in my area of NW Jersey and other places as well.

Don't forget about the Storm of the Century either in '93

[Morris]

http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=OKX&product=PNS&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1&highlight=off

 

Newark revised

[Morris]

National Weather Service New York NY
1011 AM EDT FRI JUN 24 2016

...East Coast Blizzard of 2016 Snowfall Total Revised At Newark
Liberty International Airport...

After the Blizzard in January 2016, the National Weather Service
established a National Snow Measurement Team to verify the snow
measurements at several locations across the northeastern United
States, including Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) in
Newark, NJ.

The team found that the observations at Newark Airport were taken
each hour on a snowboard by the contract weather observers during
the storm, with the snowboard being cleared hourly. National
Weather Service Guidelines for snow measurements call for
clearing the snowboard every six hours.

The preliminary total at Newark was reported as 28.1 inches. The
team determined that the method used to record the snowfall at
Newark resulted in an errantly high snowfall report. After further
analysis by the National Weather Service and the Office of the New
Jersey State Climatologist, the official snowfall for the January
blizzard at Newark was adjusted to 24.5 inches, making it the
third greatest snowstorm on record at Newark. The team used
datasets from surrounding locations, along with measured snow-
water equivalent of 1.85 inch from Newark Airport to finalize the
amount.

The team also indicated the snowfall measurements for the
remainder of the 2015-2016 snow season at Newark will remain as
initially reported. The other 2015-2016 snowfall totals were all
deemed within reason based on the peak depth on the ground at
Newark and nearby observations.

[IrishRob17]

National Weather Service New York NY

1011 AM EDT FRI JUN 24 2016

...East Coast Blizzard of 2016 Snowfall Total Revised At Newark

Liberty International Airport...

After the Blizzard in January 2016, the National Weather Service

established a National Snow Measurement Team to verify the snow

measurements at several locations across the northeastern United

States, including Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) in

Newark, NJ.

The team found that the observations at Newark Airport were taken

each hour on a snowboard by the contract weather observers during

the storm, with the snowboard being cleared hourly. National

Weather Service Guidelines for snow measurements call for

clearing the snowboard every six hours.

The preliminary total at Newark was reported as 28.1 inches. The

team determined that the method used to record the snowfall at

Newark resulted in an errantly high snowfall report. After further

analysis by the National Weather Service and the Office of the New

Jersey State Climatologist, the official snowfall for the January

blizzard at Newark was adjusted to 24.5 inches, making it the

third greatest snowstorm on record at Newark. The team used

datasets from surrounding locations, along with measured snow-

water equivalent of 1.85 inch from Newark Airport to finalize the

amount.

The team also indicated the snowfall measurements for the

remainder of the 2015-2016 snow season at Newark will remain as

initially reported. The other 2015-2016 snowfall totals were all

deemed within reason based on the peak depth on the ground at

Newark and nearby observations.

Gotta keep em honest.

[doncat]

Doesn't explain why these mistakes are made in the first place...why is there still confusion about how often to measure and clear the board...especially at official sites?

[Morris]

Doesn't explain why these mistakes are made in the first place...why is there still confusion about how often to measure and clear the board...especially at official sites?

The NWS was never on top of them.

[IrishRob17]

Doesn't explain why these mistakes are made in the first place...why is there still confusion about how often to measure and clear the board...especially at official sites?

Totally agree.  Its bad enough that too many weenies don't know how to measure properly but there is no excuse at an official site.

[uncle W]

some other storms from the past need to be re analyzed...many dustings were missed or no after midnight obs taken...The January 2000 storm comes to mind...5.5" was the official total but light snow over night was measured as a trace but other places around the city picked up another half inch...I think that storm was a 6" storm in Central Park...

[forkyfork]

some other storms from the past need to be re analyzed...many dustings were missed or no after midnight obs taken...The January 2000 storm comes to mind...5.5" was the official total but light snow over night was measured as a trace but other places around the city picked up another half inch...I think that storm was a 6" storm in Central Park...

i measured 6" across the river in bayonne

[The 4 Seasons]

When did this happen?! Up until this minute i was still under the impression that Central Park received 26.8" holding the #2 spot by 0.1".

Wow 27.5" is impressive, and overall (in my opinion) this storms deserves the number 1 spot. I was quite dissapointed when it missed by 0.1 to 2006. When did this new number become the official observation?

[uncle W]

23 minutes ago, The 4 Seasons said:

When did this happen?! Up until this minute i was still under the impression that Central Park received 26.8" holding the #2 spot by 0.1".

Wow 27.5" is impressive, and overall (in my opinion) this storms deserves the number 1 spot. I was quite dissapointed when it missed by 0.1 to 2006. When did this new number become the official observation?

it happened about a month or two after...

[dmillz25]

2 hours ago, The 4 Seasons said:

When did this happen?! Up until this minute i was still under the impression that Central Park received 26.8" holding the #2 spot by 0.1".

Wow 27.5" is impressive, and overall (in my opinion) this storms deserves the number 1 spot. I was quite dissapointed when it missed by 0.1 to 2006. When did this new number become the official observation?

I think in May lol

[CPcantmeasuresnow]

The funny (or tragic) thing about last years storm is that after the revision from 26.8 to 27.5 inches the NWS updated the January monthly totals to 27.9 on their website but left the seasonal total at 32.1 instead of what officially fell 32.8. They have each monthly total listed correctly but can't do the simple math.

On a similar note when they reported the 1981-2010 30 year average in KNYC it was reported at 25.1. I checked the math in late 2013 because it just didn't look right and found the average was actually 25.9.  I reported it to NOAA and at first they blamed it on rounding (mathematically impossible) but to their credit they revised the average to 25.8 in March 2014. For some reason they recorded January as 7.0 when it is actually 7.1 for that period but at that point I was just grateful they revised it to 25.8 and stopped harassing them. Perhaps someone should buy them a copy of Excel.

You can't make this stuff up, it's not like sending people to Mars.

[uncle W]

3 hours ago, CPcantmeasuresnow said:

The funny (or tragic) thing about last years storm is that after the revision from 26.8 to 27.5 inches the NWS updated the January monthly totals to 27.9 on their website but left the seasonal total at 32.1 instead of what officially fell 32.8. They have each monthly total listed correctly but can't do the simple math.

On a similar note when they reported the 1981-2010 30 year average in KNYC it was reported at 25.1. I checked the math in late 2013 because it just didn't look right and found the average was actually 25.9.  I reported it to NOAA and at first they blamed it on rounding (mathematically impossible) but to their credit they revised the average to 25.8 in March 2014. For some reason they recorded January as 7.0 when it is actually 7.1 for that period but at that point I was just grateful they revised it to 25.8 and stopped harassing them. Perhaps someone should buy them a copy of Excel.

You can't make this stuff up, it's not like sending people to Mars.

I use my own stats for Central Park...I've been catching mistakes for years...They round or smooth the monthly temperature normals which are lower than the actual average...then compare it to actual...to me that's like comparing apples and oranges...